Methods and systems for processing one or more integrated circuit probes

Abstract

A probe sanding fixture includes a base, a probe adapter including a probe guide defining one or more channels defined therein, and a sander tool including a sanding wheel and a gauge pin configured to process one or more probes positioned in the channels. The probe adapter is coupleable to the base such that the channels are extendable generally along a first axis. The sander tool is coupled to the base such that the sander tools is translatable along a second axis and rotatable about the first axis.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A probe sanding fixture comprising:
 a base; 
 a probe adapter including a probe guide defining one or more channels defined therein, the probe adapter coupleable to the base such that the one or more channels are extendable along a first direction; and 
 a sander tool including a sanding wheel and a gauge pin configured to process one or more probes, each of the one or more probes configured to be positioned in each of the one or more channels, the sander tool coupled to the base such that the sanding wheel and gauge pin of the sander tool are rotatable about a first axis and translatable along a second axis, the first axis extending along the first direction; 
 wherein the gauge pin extends along the first axis toward the probe adapter from a radial center of the sanding wheel, the gauge pin includes an inverted V-shaped notch on an end of the gauge pin distal from the sanding wheel, the inverted V-shaped notch comprising a radially interior portion and a radially outer portion; 
 wherein the sanding wheel includes a first lapping film with a first grade, the radially outer portion including a second lapping film with a second grade that is different from the first grade, the radially interior portion including a third lapping film with a third grade that is different from both the first grade and the second grade; and 
 wherein the second grade is a grinding grade and the third grade is a conditioning grade. 
 
     
     
       2. The probe sanding fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the probe adapter includes a support block, and a seat coupleable to the support block, the probe guide moveably coupled to the seat. 
     
     
       3. The probe sanding fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the probe guide is moveable between a use position and a load position. 
     
     
       4. The probe sanding fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the probe adapter includes a slot defined therein and a guide pin positionable in the slot. 
     
     
       5. The probe sanding fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the sander tool includes a motor configured to rotate the sander tool about the first axis. 
     
     
       6. The probe sanding fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the sander tool is translatable along the first axis. 
     
     
       7. The probe sanding fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the probe adapter includes a lock configured to secure a position of the sander tool with respect to the first axis. 
     
     
       8. The probe sanding fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the base includes a storage portion defining a cavity therein. 
     
     
       9. The probe sanding fixture of  claim 1 , wherein the probe guide includes one or more guide plates configured to engage the one or more probes positioned in the one or more channels. 
     
     
       10. A system for use in processing one or more probes, the system comprising:
 a base; 
 a probe adapter including a probe guide defining one or more channels defined therein, each of the one or more channels configured to receive each of one or more probes therein, the probe adapter coupleable to the base such that the one or more channels are extendable along a first direction; 
 a sanding wheel coupled to the probe adapter, the sanding wheel is rotatable about a first axis and translatable along a second axis, the first axis extends along the first direction; 
 a gauge pin extending along the first axis from a radial center of the sanding wheel such that the gauge pin is configured to move with the sanding wheel as the sanding wheel is one or more of translated along the second axis or rotated about the first axis; 
 wherein the gauge pin includes an inverted V-shaped notch on an end of the gauge pin distal from the sanding wheel, the inverted V-shaped notch comprising a radially outer portion and a radially interior portion; 
 wherein the sanding wheel includes a first lapping film with a first grade, the radially outer portion including a second lapping film with a second grade that is different from the first grade, and the radially interior portion including a third lapping film with a third grade that is different from both the first grade and the second grade; and 
 wherein the second grade is a grinding grade and the third grade is a conditioning grade. 
 
     
     
       11. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the probe adapter includes a support block, and a seat coupleable to the support block, the probe guide moveably coupled to the seat. 
     
     
       12. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the probe guide is moveable between a use position and a load position. 
     
     
       13. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the probe adapter includes a slot defined therein and a guide pin positionable in the slot. 
     
     
       14. The system of  claim 10 , further comprising a motor configured to rotate the sanding wheel and the gauge pin about the first axis. 
     
     
       15. The system of  claim 10 , wherein the sanding wheel and gauge pin are translatable along the first axis. 
     
     
       16. A method of processing one or more probes, the method comprising:
 moving a probe guide to a load position, the probe guide defining one or more channels defined therein; 
 extending the one or more probes through the one or more channels; 
 moving the probe guide to a use position such that the one or more channels extend along a first direction; 
 providing a sander tool including a sanding wheel and a gauge pin configured to process the one or more probes, the sanding wheel and gauge pin are rotatable about a first axis and translatable along a second axis, the first axis extending along the first direction; 
 moving the sander tool to a first position to process a first probe of the one or more probes using a lapping surface of the sanding wheel; 
 processing the first probe using the lapping surface of the sanding wheel, the lapping surface including a first grade; 
 moving the sander tool to a second position to process the first probe using the gauge pin, the gauge pin extending along the first axis toward the probe guide from a radial center of the sanding wheel, the gauge pin including an inverted V-shaped notch on an end of the gauge pin distal from the sanding wheel, the inverted V-shaped notch comprising a radially outer portion comprising a first surface and a radially interior portion comprising a second surface; 
 processing the first probe using the first surface, the first surface including a second grade; 
 moving the sander tool to a third position to process the first probe using the second surface, the second surface including a third grade, wherein the second grade is different from the first grade and the third grade is different from both the first grade and the second grade, the second grade is a grinding grade and the third grade is a conditioning grade; and 
 processing the first probe using the second surface.